The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-06-15
SHANGHAI.
QUEER SCENES IN A LEADING
CHINESE PORT.
Its Foreign Population-The Wheel.
barrow as Conveyance-Chinese
Theatres and dActOrs-Serving
Tea and Watermelon Seeds.


Tribune says: The same treaty which
cedcd Hong Kong to the English and
paid $25, 900 as indemnity for the de-
struction of opium and ships threw open
as trading ports Annoy, Foo Chow and
Shanghai-all along the eastern coast.
Other cities have been added since that
time, notably the great tea emporium
Han Kow, 600 miles inland, on the
Yangtze Kiang. But the same hostility,
which has only yielded under extreme
pressure so as to allow any trading what
ever with foreign countries, has pre-
vented the establishment of any railroad
in China. A line was laid some years
ago, but so unfavorablc to it were the
natives that they at last tore UP the rails
and utterly destroyed it. Of ail the
treaty ports Shanghai is first, situated on
the Woosung River not far from where
it empties into the great Yangtze Kiang.
1t is largely foreign in its character, with
its English, French, and American
quarters. Like other cities of the East
where there are foreign residents, it has
splendid clubs. For club life is an ab-
solute necessity. Absence of theatres,
concerts, and other amusements and the
abundance of young men sent out from
Europe and America to fill mercantile
positions give them support that
renders it easy for them to erect luxurious
club houses and supply every comfort.
The local vehicle of the City of Shan
ohai is the wheelbarrow. Not at all un-
like that which we find in our own coun-
try, though it has on top board ar,
ranged somewhat like the centreboard Of
boat. 1t serves as rest for the backs
of the two passengers who are generally
seen perched upon the barrow, sitting
sideways and allowing their feet to hang
toward the ground. This instrument Of
conveyance has, within the last few years,
rather lost favor with foreigners, who
prefer a carriage or the more easy-riding
jinriksha, but it probably will always
remain the especial delight of followers
of the sea. Not at all uncommon is 1t to
see two jolly tars, scarcely able to main,
tain their unsteady positions, perched
upon wheclbarrow, each waving bot
tie of liquor in one hand while trying to
hold onto the vehicle with the other. The
poor cody struggles along, and certainly
earns the very small amount of money
that he is allowed to charge. Farther
north, in and around Pekin, it is custom
ary to rig sail onto the wheelbarrow and
use the wind as motive power, the man
at the handles merely steadying and
steering the machine.
The Chinese are great theatre-goers,
and it would seem that with the good
patronage that their places, of amuse-
ment command there would be some cul-
tivation of the dramatic art. Whatever
may be the Chinese estimate of their
players acting, to those who have seen
that of almost any European or Amerl-
can artist it is without any merit. The
lines are delivered in monotonous sing
ing style, and the stage settings are OF so
primitive character that they add little
to the interest of the play. There is no
curtain. The stage is platform, that
stands at one end of the theatre, and
there are no flies and but little scenery.
The actors enter by a door in the rear
and at one side of the platform, and
when they should depart betake them
selves off either by the same way In
which they entered or through CORE
spending door at the other side. Not
infrequently the spectators see some one
who has been decapitated or disembow-
eled gather himself together and walk
off in most miraculous and unreallstlc
manner. There are no women upon the
stage, but the makeup of the men who
take the feminine characters is so good
that they can hardly be dis
tinguished from the Chinese bellies
upon the floor of the house.
Talking is indulged in by all, and
there is at times the greatest inattention.
The main floor is filled with little tables,
aro ind which the playgcers sit and drink,
and smoke, and chat, and watch, and
listen. The stage not only is not fur
nished with those fxings which go so far
to make drama success, but does not
seem to be reserved exclusively for the
performance. Around the sides are those
who have no parts, and, one would think,
no business there. Often the curtain
across the door of entrance or of exit IS
pushed aside, and instead of the actor
whom the audience may be looking for
some child is seen, who comes toddling
in and perhaps right across the stage.
Tea boys or girls circulate through the
body ef the house or across the stage
pouring hot water into the little cups, in
the bottoms of which are a few tea leaves.
Watermelon seeds seem favoritc accom-
paniment of the national beverage, for
little plates full of them are on every ia
Bile. The Chinese MUNICH these with the
greatest satisfaction. When some actor
has finished a particularly long harangue
he quietly turns around and drains one OF
the cups, which a supernumery standing
by hands him. There is frequently, in
troductory to the regular performance,
Juggling or tumbling, The plays them
selves are said to be, as rule. quite i'm
moral and the language very low. The
are very rich, and the beauti-
fully colored and embroidered silks and
satins, in which the better classes of the
Chinese clothe themselves, show to great
advantage on the stage.
How Type is Made.